Tata Power Renewable Energy (TPREL) will set up a greenfield 10 GW ingot and wafer manufacturing plant-the largest of its kind in India-at Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, with an investment of Rs 6,675 crore, The Economic Times (ET) reported.
Ingots and wafers are critical inputs used in the production of semiconductor chips as well as solar cells and modules.
The Andhra Pradesh government has earmarked 200 acres for the project at the IFFCO Kisan Special Economic Zone. Of this, 120 acres will be utilised for the plant, while the remaining 80 acres have been reserved for future expansion. The project aligns with the Centre’s push to boost domestic solar equipment manufacturing and reduce dependence on China for key components.
According to people familiar with the matter, the State Investment Promotion Board, chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, cleared the proposal on Tuesday, while the State Investment Promotion Committee had approved it last week. The project is expected to receive cabinet approval later this week.
As per the detailed project report submitted to the state government, the facility is likely to generate employment for around 1,000 people. Andhra Pradesh will also allot TPREL land to develop a captive 200 MW green power plant to supply renewable energy to the manufacturing unit. Access to green power was a key factor in the company’s decision, a senior government official told ET.
“Andhra Pradesh is proud to host yet another landmark investment from the Tata Group,” state IT minister Nara Lokesh, who heads the cabinet committee on employment generation, told ET. “This project is a strong vote of confidence in our state’s policy stability, infrastructure readiness and commitment to clean energy manufacturing.”
TPREL had earlier evaluated locations in Gopalpur and Cuttack in Odisha, but Andhra Pradesh secured the investment by offering readily available land and proximity to Krishnapatnam port. Nellore is fast emerging as a solar manufacturing hub, with companies such as Premier Energies, Websol and Voltsun planning projects in the region.
On March 7 last year, Tata Power Renewable Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh government to invest up to ₹49,000 crore in renewable energy projects in the state. The Nellore facility marks the first manufacturing project under this agreement.
TPREL has developed several large solar and renewable energy projects across India, including a 300 MW facility in Dholera (Gujarat), a 400 MW plant in Pavagada (Karnataka), a 450 MW unit in Bikaner (Rajasthan) and a 431 MW DC utility-scale project in Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh).